A mutation in the coronavirus is responsible for a tough Christmas lockdown in the UK.
The virus is said to be 70 percent more contagious - and cause the following symptoms.
Around 13,000 corona mutations are known to date - almost 400 Sars-CoV-2 mutations occur repeatedly *, as researchers have found out.
However, the scientists found no indication that the virus mutations analyzed so far had led to a more frequent transmission of Covid-19 or to a more severe course of the disease.
A mutation currently detected in Great Britain, however, is said to be 70 percent more contagious than the virus original and its previous mutations.
For the British, this year's Christmas takes place in a very small circle.
Because the government has on December 20.
imposed a tough lockdown that has it all: only essential shops are still open, travel is strongly discouraged, even if you are only supposed to go to relatives in the next larger city.
Households should not mix as much as possible and everyone should stay at home
.
The reasons for these tough measures are the increasing number of coronavirus infections and a virus mutation that is of concern to the authorities.
A newly discovered variant of the virus could be up to 70 percent more contagious than all other known Sars-CoV-2 forms.
However, an infection with the new virus mutation should not be more deadly and also not exacerbate the symptoms
, as reported by Deutschlandfunk.
With regard to the vaccines, too, the all-clear has been given for the time being: These should respond just as well to the new virus variant as to the well-known virus form.
However, this information is only an initial estimate - according to Deutschlandfunk, British scientists indicated that they still need time to make precise statements about the new virus mutation.
Virologist Christian Drosten from the Charité in Berlin is also reluctant: The data situation is still very sketchy and scientifically unsound.
In addition, the question to be answered is whether the discovered variant is really more transferable, Drosten is quoted on Deutschlandfunk.
An overview of typical corona symptoms
Flu-like symptoms (with fever, chills, tiredness and cough)
Runny nose symptoms (with a runny nose, sneezing, dry throat, and stuffy nose)
Joint and muscle pain
Inflammation of the eyes and mucous membranes
Lung problems (with pneumonia and shortness of breath)
Gastrointestinal problems (with diarrhea, nausea and accompanied by headache)
Loss of smell and taste
You can find out more about the previously known Covid-19 symptoms here
Coronavirus mutation in Great Britain, Denmark and Belgium - and also in Germany?
The virus mutation that is now paralyzing the whole of Great Britain is not new.
It was described there for the first time in September, and people in Denmark, Belgium and the Netherlands were already infected with the new virus variant.
Cases have even been reported in Australia.
However, the virus mutation has not had any consequences as it currently does in Great Britain.
When asked whether the mutated pathogen could have already reached Germany, Christian Drosten is not very optimistic
.
In the Deutschlandfunk interview, he said that it could be assumed.
The previous assumption is that the origin of the virus mutation can be found in mink breeding stations.
This assumption is supported by various publications, for example by a British research that
has detected mink coronavirus mutations in humans
.
According to this, people are said to have become infected from animals not only in Denmark, but also in the Netherlands, Switzerland, South Africa, the USA, Russia and Australia.
(jg) * Merkur.de belongs to the Germany-wide Ippen-Digital editorial network
.
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